1st Sunday of Lent B
Lent leads the sinner to Baptism
(Homily by Fr. Alphonse Gollapalli)
Three pastors met together to discuss their common problem. Pigeons were making nests in their churches and were cooing during the services causing disturbances. The Baptist pastor said, “I tried poisoning them and they still come back.” The Presbyterian pastor said, “I tried to electrocute them but they still come back.” The Catholic Pastor said, “You know, I did something special and they do not come back.” “What did you do?” asked the other two pastors. “Well, I baptized them and they come back only for Christmas and Easter.”
We are in Lent. The yearly observance of Lent will help us grow in understanding the riches hidden in Christ. By living Sacramental life we can unearth these riches. In today’s scriptures Baptism emerges as fruit of conversion. Theconfession and the forgiveness of sins in Baptism is the door tosalvation in Jesus Christ.
On the 26th of Dec. 2004, the day after Christmas a powerful Tsunami caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 shook the coastal nations of Indian Ocean killing about 280,000 people in 14 countries. The storm inundated the coastal communities with waves up to 100 feet high. It was one of the deadliest of the natural disasters in recorded history.
The Deluge in the book of Genesis is another natural disaster that wiped out almost theentire humanity. In the ancient times people believed that evil spirits, wicked angels, the power of evil and sin caused disasters of nature such as a flood. Only Divine intervention could save them from the terrifying disasters. Jesus Christ overcame the power of evil: “He went to preach to the spirits in prison,” says St. Peter. He defeated the cosmic power of evil, including the disobedient spirits at the time of Noah.
Deluge signifies death. It symbolizes mortal sin that causes death of a soul. But Noah’s arc is a sign of hope. In the flood only some animals and a mere 8 people were saved because they took shelter in the arc. Baptism, like the Noah’s arc saves the one who takes shelter in it.
God made a covenant with that small community that survived the flood. “I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood,” said God. God in Jesus Christ makes a Covenant with the Baptized to save him from the slavery to sin and death. The flood was a kind a ‘bath’. God bathed the whole human race of all defilements. The waters of flood washed the sin away. The righteous emerged victorious from the troubled waters. Similarly, Baptism is a “bath.” Jesus bathes us in the troubled waters of people trapped in slavery to sin and Satan. The waters of Baptism wash all sins away. But the believers in Jesus Christ emerge victorious in Him. When the waters of baptism recede the Christian emerges into New Life.
According to Genesis, it rained for forty days and forty nights. The Flood lasted forone year, long enough to kill every species and subspecies of animal on earth.Noah and his family lived in the arc with all kinds of animals including the wild beasts but unharmed. Similarly Jesus after his baptism went to the desert and fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights. He lived with the wild beasts but unharmed. He lives forever in his followers and especially in the form of Sacraments and removes every kind of sin and sadness from people who abide in him.
The disciples of Jesus are called to live in the midst of wild beasts of worldly temptations. But not be harmed by them. Lent should help us to emerge victorious from all the temptations and attractions of the world. “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ,” once said Billy Graham. Lent leads us sinners to the true Baptism on a daily basis.